GAC ALL DECADE TEAM

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.- Delta State University Assistant Softball Coach Sarah Gipson was named as a member of the Great American Conference All-Decade Softball Team on Tuesday. Gipson, who played for Henderson State, was an infielder who was the 2015 GAC Player of the Year, earned All-GAC recognition four times in her career and holds school records for hits in a single season (84), RBIs in a single season (66) and career RBIs (161). The native of Grand Saline, Texas, is second in Henderson State history in at bats (704), hits (241), doubles (46) and total bases (363).

The original list of nominees consisted of players that met at least one of the following three criteria: earned an "Of the Year" award, named to at least two All-GAC First Teams or at least three All-GAC teams. The voting electorate consisted of GAC coaches, sports information directors, athletic directors, senior woman administrators and media members.  The All-Decade teams consisted of all nominees named on at least 50 percent of returned ballots.Gipson came to Delta State after coaching at Missouri Western State University.
 
Gipson's first season saw Missouri Western qualify for the NCAA Central regional. She helped coach MWSU hitters to hit 49 home runs, third most in the MIAA, and fourth best batting average in the MIAA. Gipson worked with the corner infielders as third baseman Katie Klosterman earned MIAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year, First-team All-MIAA and Second-team All-region honors. In her second season, the Griffons of Missouri Western hit another 35 home runs which ranked fourth in the conference and have the fourth most doubles in the MIAA

Gipson played collegiately at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. At HSU, she had a decorated 2015 season as she was named All-American, All-Region and Great American Conference Player of the Year.

She would finish her career with a .360 batting average, a school record 161 RBI's, 49 doubles and 25 home runs.  Gipson earned All-Conference honors each of her seasons as a Reddie. While at Henderson State, she was teammates and later coached by Katey Gorsage.

Prior to coming to Delta State, she coached a season at the University of Texas at Tyler. She has served as the head coach for Evangelical Christian School in Memphis, Tenn. and served as a student assistant for Henderson State where she finished her degree in Sport Management.